The present invention relates to a socket which is used for testing and burn-in of integrated circuits, and which has clamping members for clamping an integrated circuit to a contact set on a printed circuit board used in the test or burn-in function. The socket is reusable, and can quickly be opened or closed to clamp an integrated circuit (IC) in position.
A type of universal test and burn-in socket frame shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,748,007, includes a clamp for an IC module. Thus, various sockets are known in the art for testing or burn-in testing and burn-in of IC modules, but many of these have some difficulty in loading and clamping, as well as being quite complex in operation and for manufacturing.
Existing sockets or frames are designed to hold integrated circuit products, but they generally are designed to accept only modules of one type.
The present invention relates to a socket or frame that is coupled to a printed circuit board for testing or burn-in to be coupled to an integrated circuit frame and provides a support for the integrated circuit. A clamping mechanism is utilized for holding a test device such as an integrated circuit, in intimate contact with test or burn-in contacts on the printed circuit board. The test or burn-in contacts provide a coupling for signals to and from the integrated circuit either for testing or burn-in.
The present device comprises a frame forming an open center, which provides access to the contacts on a printed circuit board carried by the frame, and has clamp plates of arms along two opposite sides that extend substantially the entire width of the frame. The clamp arms are actuated by wire levers or bails that move cams to raise and lower or move the clamp arms to release edges of an integrated circuit and laterally to provide a space into which an integrated circuit is inserted to contact the printed circuit board. When the levers are operated in an opposite direction the cams clamp overlie edges of the integrated circuit, and then move the clamp arms toward the printed circuit board to provide a pressure to clamp the integrated circuit against the contacts on the printed circuit board used in the test system. The levers actuate links connected to the clamp arms. The links provide the movement to raise and lower the arms from the clamping position substantially perpendicular to the integrated circuit plane when the arms are moved to force the integrated circuit toward the printed circuit board or when the clamp arms first move away from a clamp integrated circuits. Then the arms move laterally to provide clearance for removal of the integrated circuit in the frame or socket and replacing another integrated circuit in position.
The test and burn-in socket of the present invention is easily operated, and relatively low-cost, but yet provides for very positive clamping of the integrated circuit against the printed circuit board used as a contact set or test connector.